Greetings of peace and Shana Tova in honour of the Jewish High Holy Days and New Year! Our event for October will be to join Prof Cahill while he is here giving a presentation at the FECCA Conference (Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia. His presentation will be entitled Progressing the Multifaith Agenda in a Multicultural Australia. Tim Costello will also be giving a presentation in the same session.
We would like to share the good news that Religions for Peace Tas Branch received awards in two categories to celebrate the Inaugural Multicultural Day, Awards and Ambassadors event initiated by Multicultural Council of Tasmania to celebrate its 40th Anniversary recently.
The first was a Best Collaboration Award for the meeting of Faith Community Leaders/Representatives to establish a Faith Communities Network, convened by the Chair of Religions for Peace Australia, Emeritus Prof Des Cahill, at Parliament House in July. The aim for this gathering is to facilitate connection between the faith communities in times of emergency or difficulty.
The second was for Best Community Event for Living the Change, a workshop held to honour the UN International Day of Peace, with the theme Climate Action for Peace. This workshop allowed participants to understand very clearly what they can do in their own practical lives to reduce their carbon footprints. As Prof Mark Howden from ANU says: Every half a degree counts, every year counts, every choice counts.
Many congratulations to everyone who participated in those events, and helped to make them so successful!
Our event for October will be to join Professor Des Cahill while he is here giving a presentation at the FECCA Conference (Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia. His presentation will be entitled Progressing the Multifaith Agenda in a Multicultural Australia. Tim Costello will also be giving a presentation in the same session.
This will take place during Session 13: Faith, Religion and Spirituality on Thursday, Oct 10, 2019 and the Presentation Time is 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Prof Cahill would like to meet with as many of you as are available and interested on Friday 11 October at 1.30pm in the Lobby Board Room near the Reception area of the Hotel Grand Chancellor. He will share about his recent trip to the 10th Conference of Religions for Peace International’s World Assembly in Germany.
Thank you for your help and we hope to see you at the event!
Holy Days in October
| Date | Festival | Religion |
|---|---|---|
| 8 October | Dusshera/Dassera | Hinduism; end of the 9 day festival of the Divine Mother, called Navaratri |
| 9 October | Yom Kippur | Judaism; Jewish Day of Atonement |
| 14 October | Sukkot | Judaism |
| 20 October | Pahila Prakash Sri Guru Granth Sahib | Sikhism (the book becomes the Guru) |
| 22 October | Simchat Torah | Judaism |
| 27 October | Diwali/Deepavali | Hinduism |
| 27 October | Bandhi Chhor Diwas | Sikhism (Diwali) |
| 29 October | Birth of the Bab | Baha'i |
| 30 October | Birth of Baha'ullah | Baha'i |
| 1 November | All Saints Day | Christianity |
Hindu Society of Tasmania:
Please note that the next Satsang group session on Vivekakudamani is scheduled for Monday 7 October from 6.30-8.00pm at the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave., Sandy Bay. All are welcome.
Vivekakudamani is an introductory treatise within the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara of the eighth century.
Hindu Society of Tasmania: (continued)
Many may be aware of the program of Acharya Sanatkumar ji (who is a very well qualified scholar of the Vedas) held during Dec 15 and 16th in 2018 at Bharat Bhavan in Hobart. He was talking about Vedic(Universal) Life Management at that time. It is our blessing that he is coming again to Hobart and will be available on November 26th and 27th of 2019 (next month). The concern is that 26th is Tuesday and 27th is Wednesday, which are working days for most of you. Also some of us are pre-committed to some other activities during that time.
For your information, Acharya ji is taking up classes else-where (Perth-Australia, and Netherlands) during this month. In Netherlands, he is doing a 3 day program (where cell phones are banned) at a resort with Ayurvedic food and study classes. In Perth (Australia) he is taking a two full day program with food. We are not in a position to do such programs. However if enough people are interested, then we can have any of the following suggestions or a new suggestion:
- A two full days or one full day program (say from 9 am to 5pm with a noon break of about two hours to introduce the first level of his program, for example, two sessions of three hours on each day. Each session may have a 10 minute break at mid-time.
- or
- Have two evening programs (from 6pm to 8.30/9pm)to to introduce the vedic sciences and vedic meditation program, which can be considered as a level 1 program. It also can have 10 min break to relax
- Those who are interested can contact Ajit Ramadas on 0411300630
Deepavali Tasmania Inc:
In partnership with Street Eats @ Franko, 2019 Deepavali (Diwali) Tasmania will be held on 1 November 2019 5:30 – 9:00 pm in Franklin Square. Diwali (or Deepavali) symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness.
This festival has been celebrated in Hobart for the past three years as a multicultural event, showcasing the various talent of children, university students and young adults of fourteen different Indian ethnocultural groups.
Deepavali Tasmania Inc. is a voluntary non-profit organisation which coordinates the cultural content of this very happy festival.
We are delighted to mention that Lord Mayor Councillor Anna M. Reynolds will be officiating this event. She will be lighting the lamp which starts the festivities. Following that, there will be a 2-hour long program showcasing Indian songs and dance.
Deepavali Tasmania is looking forward to welcoming the community in Tasmania to immerse in the Indian culture and to take part in what promises to be a fun filled evening on 1 November at the Franklin Square.
Download a Flyer for Deepavali Tasmania 2019
For further information, please contact Theni Kuppusamy at 0417 993 780 or via email theni77@gmail.com
Uniting Church Woodbridge
Spring by the Water
Come and enjoy another quiet time of sharing and meditation led by Rev Rosalind Terry at Woodbridge Uniting Church on Saturday 12 October from 10am to 2.00pm.
Enjoy a shared lunch of soup and rolls.
RSVP by 11 October by ringing 0412 906 402 or email kath@cobaltcode.com
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Peace Trust Annual Lecture: From Uluru to Nauru: the Peace that Still Eludes Australia
We would like to invite you to our annual Peace Trust lecture, this year given by Phil Glendenning. Director, Edmund Rice Centre, Co-founder of Australians for Native Title and Recognition (ANTaR), president, 1997 – 2007, President Refugee Council of Australia, OAM recipient 2017
The event will be held on 16 October, 5:30 for 6pm, at the Friends Meeting House, Boa Vista Road, North Hobart.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Hope to see you at the lecture!
Download a Flyer for the Peace Trust Lecture 2019
Also, we wish to draw your attention to a unique inclusion to the recent School Climate Strike:
Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
Tuesday evening meditations for September and October: The Six Perfections.
Over September and October we will be looking at the Six Paramitas (or Perfections). These are:
Dana paramita: generosity, giving of oneself Sila paramita: virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct K?anti paramita: patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance Virya paramita: energy, diligence, vigor, effort Dhyana paramita: one-pointed concentration, contemplation Prajña paramita: wisdom, insight
Just a quick glance at the headings above will show how beneficial it would be to increase each of these qualities in our lives. Para means beyond, and mita means to go or to arrive. So these transcendent excellent qualities assist us in going beyond what is habitual, and arriving on to the further shore.
A different leader will facilitate each evening, which will consist of meditation, discourse, and discussion/questions. We will start on the first evening with an introduction to the subject, and the last evening (last Tuesday in October) will be a recap. We hope to see as many of you as possible there!
About Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
Meditation and Discussion 7.30-9 pm, every Tuesday. Entry by $5 suggested donation.
73 Liverpool St [Goulds building, down the laneway to the right of the building, in the door between the bamboo pots and up the stairs to the 2nd floor]
November
Tarchin Hearn
Two evenings of Contemplative Enquiry will be held in November
Wednesday 20 November: Reflecting on Aging. Maturity and Life Completion
Thursday 21: The Heart of Mahayana
7.30-9.00pm at 25 Weld St, South Hobart $15.00/$10.00 per session. See full details at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f2o83w5sbB
email info@hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
website www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
Sacred Conversations
Sacred Conversations warmly invites you to join us at 2pm on the last Saturday of every month at the Multifaith Centre on the UTAS campus. Sacred Conversations is a time and place for people of different faiths and cultures to come together in an environment of deep respect, understanding, peace, and love! Join us for respectful dialogue, prayer, meditation, music, food, friendship, and more.
You are welcome to join us at our next meeting on Saturday 26th of October at 2pm.
All enquiries are welcome: Julian McGarry 0401673016 or julianmcgarry@gmail.com
TCC Emergencies Ministry
There will be a training workshop entitled Pathways to Care after a suicide in Cygnet on October 16th from 9.30am-3.30pm at the Huon Valley Christian Life Centre, 7 Mary St, Cygnet. This event is free of charge, supported by United Synergies, Standby (Support after Suicide) and Lifeline. For enquiries, please contact 0400 183 490 or email standbytasmania@lifelinetasmania.org.au To register: http//:Trybooking.com/557814 or for further information standbysupport.com.au
Although not training for the emergency space specifically, this event will be helpful generally.
TCC Emergencies Ministry Invitation
Dear southern TCC Emergencies Ministry volunteers, candidates and interested pastoral carers,
We would love for you to join us for a catch up and BBQ lunch at Tolosa Park on Saturday October 19th.
The event will include a “desktop exercise” where we will talk through the deployment of teams to an emergency situation. It is timed to “refresh” our Standard Operating Procedures in advance of the summer fire season. It is also an opportunity for people interested in Emergencies Ministry to get an overview of how we care for affected people.
This is a free event, funded by the Emergency Volunteer Fund who are helping us to run extra events that gather our volunteers together.
Details are:
Date – Saturday, 19th October 2019
Time – 12.30 to 2.30 pm
Venue – Hut 7 (Teatree), Tolosa Park, Glenorchy
RSVP – admin@tccem.org.au by Friday 11th October (please include any dietary requirements)
Families are welcome. During the “desktop exercise” we will invite those with young children to, if necessary, take the children to the play equipment or elsewhere in the park to help the remaining group communicate effectively.
For our accredited volunteers, we will have TCCEM polo shirts that you can try on and then take one home for wearing when attending situations with TCCEM.
From Mukula (Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre and TCC Emergencie Ministry Volunteer):
It’s important to note that one does not need to be a Christian to volunteer for TCC Emergencies Ministry Training. The non-religious training simply sits within the framework of the Tasmanian Council of Churches and is most welcoming of different faiths.
The Tasmanian Council of Churches Emergencies Ministry seeks to provide emotional and spiritual care, personal support and psychological first aid in the event of a disaster or emergency. It is highly beneficial for the community that people from ma variety of faiths take on this role in difficult times.
Brahma Kumaris Tasmania
Caring for your Inner Self
Three sessions will run in the south of Tasmania during Seniors’- Carers’ Week 13-19 October. Everyone is welcome. This is an interactive session which aims to put participants in touch with their own inner peace and resilience in challenging times and includes a simple form of meditation.
1. Triabunna – Wednesday 16 October, 1.00-2.00pm
Spring Bay Community Health Centre, 7 Esplanade W, Triabunna.
2. Huonville – Friday 18 October, 12.30-1.30pm.
Huonville Community and Health Centre, 7-9 Sale St, Huonville.
3: Bruny Island – Friday 18 October, 2.00-3.00pm.
Bruny Island CWA, CWA Hall, 678 Bruny Island Main Rd, North Bruny.
For enquiries and bookings, please contact Alice on 6278 3788 orhobart@au.brahmakumaris.org
Brahma Kumaris Tasmania (continued)
Shining a Light on Death – Follow Up Program
Saturday, 19 October, 3 – 5pm, at the Brahma Kumaris Centre 51 Risdon Rd., New Town.
This program will cover topics that were requested in feedback from those who attended the original Shining a Light on Death event held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in July, supported by the City of Hobart.
The sessions will be:
Being with someone who is dying Presenter: Cheryl Maddock.
Cheryl has been working with and supporting people for many years as a shaman and has trained with Hospice Volunteers to support those in palliative care. She is a qualified Reflexologist and through this medium has offered her services to those in need, recognizing that touch is a great comforter. Being a spiritual person with strong beliefs, she holds sacred space to allow the process of choice for the dying person.
Talking with a bereaved person Presenter: Maxine Barry
Maxine has been the Hobart Facilitator of The Compassionate Friends, a world-wide organisation composed of bereaved parents and family members. The loss of her daughter transformed her life. Maxine belongs to The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
We would appreciate it if, at present, people attending programs at the BK Meditation Centre could park on the section of Bell St that is past the Bay Rd roundabout, closer to the hockey grounds, if possible.
For enquiries and bookings, please contact Alice on 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org
Download a Flyer for the Shining a Light on Death – Follow Up Program
Living the Change
Living the Change: how each of us can help undo climate damage
Living the Change is a very helpful workshop developed by Greenfaith International and supported in Australia by the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC). It is a practical and entertaining way of learning how each of us can contribute to reducing the damage of Climate Change. It will be run on Sunday, October 20 at 11.45 am until 3 pm, in the Friends Meeting House, Boa Vista Road, North Hobart.
A light lunch will be provided. All welcome! RSVP would be helpful for catering. (barry.maxine@gmail.com)
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
Please consider this a personal invitation to attend the inaugural ARRCC Conference to be held from Friday to Sunday Nov 8 – 10 2019, at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, 15 Blackall St Barton, in Canberra. A team of us have been working consistently from early 2019 to make this a rich, fruitful, smooth-running experience. There is less than one month to gobefore registrations close on October 25th. For more information and to register: https://www.arrcc.org.au/arrcc_national_conference/
Why come to the conference?
If you’ve ever felt isolated or frustrated as if you’re one of very few people in your faith community who really care deeply about this climate crisis, this conference will give you the practical skills needed to change all of that. You’ll learn how to organise and build a team of like-minded friends within your own community and get the kind of action happening there that you’ve always hoped for.
Presenters
Among our presenters are Dr James Whelan, who conducts the Community Organising Fellowship training each year, and is widely respected as Australia’s leading expert in community organising for climate action; Dr Miriam Pepper works for the National Christian Life Survey and has been a climate action leader in the Uniting Church for decades; Josh Creaser is one of the leading lights in Tipping Point, the organisation which has been helping the School Climate Strikers to be so effective. Leaders in their fields are Prof Lesley Hughes, Assoc Prof Mehmet Ozalp and Prof Dennis Foley who is speaking from a Koori perspective. A number of workshop facilitators dedicate much of their energy to working on climate solutions with faith communities.
The Program:
The carefully-designed Conference Program is intended to build people’s insight, skills and confidence, and also allow plenty of time for participants to mingle with each other. Moments of prayer and meditation from varying traditions will be woven through the program and, at any time, participants are welcome to retreat to the prayer room or beautiful grounds of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
Secure your place!
The venue can only accommodate a limited number of participants, so please book to secure your place! If you book now, it would also give us a better idea of numbers, so we can make it a more successful event for you.
Registration fees are $120 concession, $220 full price, $260 passionate. It may be possible to help with accommodation, if you let us know your needs. If you’re able to sponsor someone’s registration, please let us know too. As organisers, we need your help by sharing the Facebook event, and inviting your friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/2401505323419468/
Faith Communities Council of Victoria:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-15/jew-in-the-outback/11408814/
https://laist.com/2019/09/17/sikh_project_portrait_gallery_museum_of_tolerance_amit_naroop.php
Zenit:
In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
Vice Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
Phone 6272 6521
